Business Leaders’ Forum to set out the challenges
In this exclusive video, Wilkinson explained that dealing with the consequences of the horsemeat crisis was likely to focus business leaders’ attention. “After the trauma of this year and the fallout from horsegate, there’s likely to be consideration of what is practical and reasonable to restore the integrity of the supply chain,” said Wilkinson.
Increased government “meddling” in the supply chain may also feature at the Business Leaders’ Forum. “We are seeing more medalling by the government on the back of horsegate,” said Wilkinson.
‘Troubling for some manufacturers’
“Government seems to be telling us what we should be eating, what we should be putting in our products and what we should be taking out. Against that background, it’s going to be troubling for some manufacturers to deliver products and brand values.”
Other topics likely to feature in the discussions included: the renewed importance of cost control and plugging the skills gap.
The Business Leaders’ Forum will take place on Tuesday January 21 at the offices of legal firm Stephenson Harwood in London.
The free morning event will be chaired by Wilkinson, who is also chairman of Thorntons, the National Skills Academy the Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards judging panel.
Last year’s forum was dominated by talk of mergers and acquisitions.
For more information about the forum, please email Food Manufacture’s editor Rick Pendrous at rick.pendrous@wrbm.com.
